Florida 2004 vs. Florida 2008

Every four years voters in Florida assess the state of the state in casting their ballots. That time is again nigh. In two weeks and two days, we will vote for president. With that in mind, how different is the Florida of now from the Florida of four years ago?

2008: Missed the playoffs, finished last in the division with a record of 31-42-9.

Poll rankings of college football teams in state

AP Top 25 for Oct. 10, 2004:

Miami #3

Florida State #7

Florida #22

AP Top 25 for Oct. 12, 2008

Florida #5

USF #19

Percentage of Floridians without health insurance

2004-2005: 19.8 percent

2006-2007: 20.7 percent

5. Daily average price for regular unleaded in Tampa Bay Area

10/13/2004: $1.9412/gallon

10/13/2008: $3.2652/gallon

Peak 7/16/2008: $4.009/gallon

Daily average price for regular unleaded in Florida

10/13/2004: $1.9927/gallon

10/13/2008: $3.301/gallon

Peak 7/16/2008: $4.079/gallon

Biggest bank in Florida

2004: Bank of America

2008: Wells Fargo

Nuclear reactors

2004: Five

2008: Five (Four more are planned.)

Source: Energy Information Administration, Times files

Percentage of Floridians approving of governor

September 2004 approval rating for Jeb Bush: 62 percent

September 2008 approval rating for Charlie Crist: 61 percent

Estimated Floridians 80 or older

2004: 894,775

2007: 971,686

Median household income in Florida

2003: $39,871

2007: $47,804

Floridians below the poverty level

2003: 12.7 percent

2007: 12.5 percent

Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at

10/6/2004: 10,239.92

10/6/2008: 9,955.50

Minimum wage in Florida

2004: $5.15 an hour.

2008: $6.79 an hour.

December 2004

The most important problem facing Florida today:

18 percent education

11 percent economy

8 percent health care

7 percent immigration

7 percent recovering from hurricanes

October 2008

60 percent of Floridians say the economy is the most important issue in the presidential election.

8 percent say the war in Iraq.

7 percent say terrorism.

7 percent say energy policy.

7 percent say health care.

December 2004

How would you describe the state of Florida's economy?

Among all Floridians :

8 percent excellent

52 percent good

27 percent not so good

10 percent poor

Among Republicans :

14 percent excellent

69 percent good

14 percent not so good

2 percent poor

Among Democrats :

4 percent excellent

39 percent good

38 percent not so good

17 percent poor

Among independents :

6 percent excellent

50 percent good

32 percent not so good

9 percent poor

Are you better off or worse off financially that you were a year ago?

All Floridians :

Better off 42

Worse off 34

Same 22

Republicans :

Better off 64

Worse off 18

Same 18

Democrats :

Better off 27

Worse off 49

Same 23

Independents :

Better off 37

Worse off 36

Same 25

Number of people insured by Citizens

September 2004: 800,000

September 2008: 1.2-million

Number of Florida tourists

January through June 2004: 40.9-million

January through June 2008: 46.1-million

Florida citrus acreage

2004: 748,555

2008: 576,577

Sources: Bureau of Economic and Business Research, University of Florida; Office of Economic and Demographic Research, the Florida Legislature; Florida Division of Elections; Realty Trac; Mortgage Bankers Association National Delinquency Survey; Census Bureau; Florida Department of Corrections; NASA; MyFlorida.com; National Hurricane Center; : Florida Association of Realtors; University of Florida Bergstrom Center for Real Estate Studies; www.baseball-reference.com; AAA Auto Club South; Bureau of Economic and Business Research, University of Florida; : U.S. Department of Agriculture; St. Petersburg Times polls; Quinnipiac University polls.